


Between One Breath and the Next

by mizface



Category: due South
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-31
Updated: 2011-12-31
Packaged: 2017-10-28 13:19:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/308268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizface/pseuds/mizface
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place a moment before the start of BDtH.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Between One Breath and the Next

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Originally written for ds_snippets, for the prompt "inhale." Many, many thanks to exbex and primroseburrows for helpful and speedy betas!

**Vecchio**

Ray sighed deeply as he looked out the window. He’d lived in this house his entire life, earned the right to his own room, taken care of his family as best he could for almost as long as he could remember. Leaving it, leaving everyone he loved was almost unthinkable. He hadn’t even moved out when he’d gotten _married_ , for crying out loud. But now here he was, days away from leaving not only his family, but his entire _life_ behind.

Ray breathed in the scents of home as he walked through the house, taking in as much as he could with each inhalation, wishing he could bottle the familiar smells… clean sheets, Ma’s cooking, Frannie’s perfume, fresh-cut grass, even the cheap aftershave Tony overused –they all wove together to signify the place he knew he belonged.

Ray sighed again and went outside to sit on the porch steps. He had a lot to do, but just at this moment, sitting here quietly was all he wanted. And God only knew when he’d be free to want something for himself again.

 

 **Kowalski**

“He _what_?” Ray sputtered and dropped the file he’d been scanning over, coughing as he choked on coffee he’d inhaled in his shock. Once he’d regained his composure, as well as the ability to breathe, he went on. “Off a building? On purpose?” Ray watched Lieutenant Welsh closely, hoping for some hint he was joking, screwing around with the almost-new guy. But his face remained serious.

Ray sighed and picked the file back up. After thinking about it for a minute, he nodded. “Okay, so he does crazy shit, thinks he’s a superhero. I can work with that.”

A quick glance showed just the slightest change in Welsh’s expression, a lessening of tension Ray would bet Welsh didn’t even know he was showing. So this was a bigger deal than he’d been led to believe. Or maybe it was somehow personal. Just _why_ keeping the partnership with the Mountie going was so important had never really been made clear.

He shrugged and kept reading. He’d have time to figure it all out. For now, he just had to get the facts straight.

 

 **Fraser**

Fraser breathed in the clean, fresh air and smiled. It felt good to be home, even if only temporarily. He could recharge here, renew himself, cleanse himself of the city’s odors, retune his hearing in the relative silence, clear his head. He was doing well in Chicago, better than his superiors had ever imagined, he was certain. Better than _he_ had hoped, if he were being honest. He had an apartment, friends, a partner… it might not be home, but he was surely making a place for himself.

Dief loped over to him from the underbrush, grinning, and Fraser smiled back. He wasn’t the only one enjoying this trip, though Dief had made sure to criticize Fraser’s packing skills when he’d seen the lack of baked goods. Even so, he seemed more at ease, too. No matter how well he’d adapted to city life, Fraser knew it was still difficult for him.

Dief lifted his head, sniffing the air, and Fraser followed suit. The smell of smoke wafted toward them ever-so-faintly, and Fraser nodded for Dief to go. They were back on track.


End file.
